Fatteh bel djaje

[M]

This might be in vain due to the dearth of Lebanese restaurants in Manhattan, but I have a raving craving for the symphony of taste that a good plate of fatteh bel djaje can provide. Does anyone know of anyplace, even in the boroughs, that serves? If not, perhaps a good recipe? (I'll gladly dive in and attempt to feed the need.)

Humor me here as I describe it (from the menu of the Lebanese Taverna in DC, the last place I had it): seasoned chunks of chicken on top of a layer of chickpeas and toasted Lebanese bread, served with warm yogurt sauce, pinenuts and garlic - if you're lucky, a pomegranate seed garnish.

Obviously, I'm desperate. Thanks to all and any with info.

[lucia]

The cookbook Mediterranean Light has a whole Fatteh section, and by coincidence I read a similar recipe earlier today, minus the pine nuts and pomegranate seeds. The chicken was simmered to make a stock, which also had lebanese spices in it. She used toasted pita bread, torn into pieces. You add some stock to the assembled dish to moisten the pita. The yogurt is drained til thick and mixed with chopped garlic.

[missmasala]

wow, you're in luck. i never knew what this dish was called, but it was a favorite in our house. my mom learned to make it from a lebanese woman.
i just made it for the first time in years the other day.
here's my mom's recipe--don't know how authentic it is, but it tastes great!

For chicken and broth:
1 chicken, whole or quartered
1/2 lemon, cut into quarters
1 Tb ground cinnamon
1 tb salt
2 cups water
1 onion with 3 cloves stuck in it
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 large can chickpeas

in large dutch oven or stockpot, put chicken lemon quarters, ground cinnamon, and salt. Add water, onion with cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and let cool. strain and skim broth, pour over chickpeas and cook for 15-20 minutes.

to put the dish togehter:
1 quart plain yogurt (i use labneh or the thick greek yogurt, they work best)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup mints leaves, torn
1 cup pine nuts
3 Tb butter
2 pita breads cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 a pomegranate (if available)

mix yogurt with garlic and let sit for 15 minutes. Fry pine nuts in 1 tb butter until brown. set aside
fry pita cubes in remaining butter until crisp.
skin and bone chicken meat. leave in largish chunks.

put chicken in bottom of serving dish. pour warm broth with chickpeas over it. spoon yogurt mixture on top, and then sprinkle on the pine nuts, pita, mint, and pomegranate. serve in shallow soup bowls.

anyway, hope this works for you. i've never seen this dish in a restaurant, but i've wowed many friends with it over the years.
good luck!

[M]

You are incredible, and a saint to boot. I am going to make this post-haste and report back. Thanks beyond words to you for posting the recipe - you've made my day.

[The Chowhound Team]

Hi folks-

Anyone wanting to chime in to this thread with more recipe information, please do it by posting on the General Topics board. (You can post a link here to your General Topics posting). That way everyone who could benefit from the recipe, and anyone who can contribute to it, will get a shot at it.

If anyone knows what dining establishments in the greater NY area might offer this dish, please, do chime in here.

Thanks.

Link: http://chowhound.com/boards/general/g...

[Lambretta76]

The biggest Lebanese restaurant I know of is Tripoli on Atlantic Ave. in Cobble Hill. They have a large menu, and may be willing to make this on request if you call a couple of days in advance? (That is if it is not on the menu.)

Tripoli Restaurant
156 Atlantic Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11201-5502
Phone: [phone]

[M]

Made this dish on V-Day per missmasala's recipe and I must say it was scrumptious. I recommend anyone reading this post to take a stab, and I thank missmasala a thousand times. Salute!

[missmasala]

so glad you enjoyed it. I think i might serve it to a friend for her birthday this week.

Once you've done it a couple of times, it's really not that hard. just a lot of steps.

[M. K.]

We, too, have moved to Manhattan, and used to frequent the Lebanese Taverna in Arlington. Have you been able to find a similar dish in NYC?

[BamiaWruz]

There are also several different variations of the dish.

Fattat hummus (chickpeas)

Fattat Ads (orange/yellow lentil soup) - the lentil soup is poured on the toasted bread. Garlic is added to oil until it's fragrant and a dash of vinegar goes in then the mixture is sprinkled over the lentil soup.

Fattah egyptian style - toasted bread is layed out in the casserole, chicken stock is poured over to moisten and yogurt is spread ontop, plain white rice then is layered over the entire thing and the same garlic/vinegar mixture is sprinkled on the top of the rice and finally flaked boiled chicken is layered over rice.

There are also dishes called "fattah" in places like Yemen and other countries but I don't recall what goes into it.